For the first time in history, neither Singapore nor Malaysia qualified for the knockout stage, with both sides showing worrying signs of decline.

Singapore simply lacked the strength to dominate their opponents, and instead relied on a solid defense consisting of five or six defenders backs with occasional attempts to score on the break. Malaysia didn’t even demonstrate a comprehensive plan, failing to deliver in their most important group match against Myanmar.

As Indonesia re-emerges, it’s clear that if Singapore and Malaysia fail to improve in the next few years, it is entirely possible that emerging countries such as Myanmar, Philippines or even Cambodia could overtake them.